North Korea claims its dialogue channel with the international community is open for discussion on its human rights issue.
 
The North’s permanent mission to the UN unveiled such a position during an explanatory session on the North’s human rights at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday with some 100 journalists and diplomats in attendance.
 
Deputy Ambassador to the UN Ri Tong-il reiterated that the North will continue to hold dialogue and cooperate with the international community over its human rights issue.
 
Choe Myong-nam, a Foreign Ministry official in charge of UN affairs and human rights issues, said the biggest obstacle to promoting human rights in North Korea is the U.S. and expressed his opposition to a politically motivated UN resolution on North Korean human rights.
 
He also claimed that there are no prison camps in North Korea, just labor detention centers.
 
Tuesday was the first session the North held on its human rights conditions at the world organization. Observers say the session is likely to be part of the North’s active defense strategy in the face of the international community’s growing pressure on the North to address its human rights violations.
 
The session came as the UN is set to adopt a resolution on the issue at its General Assembly next month.